Airship coach



April 28, 1931-.

2 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 24, 1930 April 28,1931.

H. CASTADY AIRSHIP coAcH 2 Shets-Sheei .2

Filed June 24, 19 30 snow 14301;-

Y '25 ship.

Patented Apr. 28, 1931 1 UNITED STATES HARRY CASTADY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS AIRSHIP COACH Application filed June 24,

This invention relates to airships, and more particularly to that type of airship known as lighter-than-aircraft. Specifically, the present invention resides in a form of 5 aircraft made in the shape of a coach and having flapping wings attachable thereto by hinges.

Among the objects of this invention the following may be enumerated:

(a) To provide a novel and useful form of airship-coach which shall be particularly adapted for the safe transport of passengers and their baggage. r I To provide a novel and useful form of airship-coach which shall be substantially collision-proof, that'is, which shall be substantially immune to damage as a result of collisions.

(0) To provide a new and useful form of Z airship-coach in which the several operating parts thereof are entirely enclosed therein.

(cl) To provide a new and useful airship of the class mentioned having means thereon to assure of a smooth, j erkless landing of said (6) Numerous other objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilledin the art to which it pertains from the detailed description thereof given below.

The foregoing objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, partly inelevation and partly in section, of the entire airship-coach;

Figure'2 is a cross-sectional diagrammatic view partly in section taken transversely through the device shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the invention;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the invention, the wings being broken away; and V Figure 5 is a diagrammatic sketch illustrating the coupling together of a plurality of the coaches forming this invention to constitute a train of airship-coaches.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The body ofthe airship, des-ignated as a whole by reference numeral 1, is formed in substantially the shape of a coach, provided blower 10, adapted .to be operated. either 1930. Seria1 No.463,493.

as shown with wings 2. I have therefore designated this invention as Eurika Ptera, or the airship with wings. To render the coach 1 substantially immune to damage by collision, or any similar cause, I provide the entire exterior thereof with a protective cover of springs Siand cork 4:. A similar protective and shock absorbing cover of springs and cork is provided about the exteriorof the Wings 2. It 6 will thus be seen that no damage can result to the body of the airship-coach 1' as result of its running into or striking any external object, as a wall or another airship.

As shown in Figure 5, several of the coaches constituting my invention may be coupled together to form a train thereof. This coupling may be accomplished while the coaches are inthe air or on the ground. The presence of the shock absorbing. covers on the coaches is especially advantageous while thiscoupling is being effected, as any bumping together of the coaches is not felt by the passengers. Any conventional or suitable coupling means, indicated by reference numeral 5 (in Fig. 5), may be employed.

Hingedly secured to the sides of the coach at the top thereofrare a pair of wings 2.

These wings 2 are hollowin character, and are suitably filled with helium gas. To impart a flapping action to the wings 2-,.flexible members 6, which may be chains or the like connect the wings to an operating means, (described in detail below), in the interior of the ship. By means of the members 6, the wings may be pulled downwardly, and the hinges 7, which are provided with spring means, return the wings to the horizontal position shown in Fig.2. When it is not desired to take advantage of the flappable wings 2, theymay be folded back overthe top of the ship, to which they may be secured by any desirable fastening means 8. Disposed at the top of the device, interiorly of the shock-absorbing cover, is a compartment 9 adapted 'to be suitably filled with helium gas, forlifting purposes.

Coming now tothe means for operating the airship, this comprises primarily an airmanually, as by the pedal 11, or mechanically, as by the fuel motor 12. The pedals 11 are operatively connected to the blower 10 by the belt gearing 13; and the fuel motor 12 is operatively connected thereto by the toothed gearingll.

Extending forwardly of the body of the airship is:;the windmill-like propeller 15, which is adapted to be driven by the manual or mechanical means, above described, through the blower 10. In addition, as speed is attained, the rapid rotation of the propeller helps to, make the blower run faster.

Connected to the said blower and extending therefrom are three air-conveying ducts 1 6, 17 and 18. A conventional three-way valve operable by means of the handle 19 controls the flow of the air from the blower through these ducts. Each of the said airconveying V ducts terminates in a funnelshaped end, as shown.

By means of the duct 16, ablas-t or current of air may be blown upwardly against an air bag 2-0. The latter is disposed at the top of the coach inwardly of the helium containing compartment; The purpose of such a blast of air is to augment the lifting-power of the helium, and help to urge the ship upwardly.

By means of the duct 17 a blast .of :air may be blown downwardly against an air cushion 21 -.disposed on the floor .of the ship. By this means, and with the aid of the motor, the ship maybe forced downwardlyso that a landing may be accomplished.

By .means of the duct 18, a current of air may be forced against the air bag 22 dis posed in the forward :part of the airship. uch a current of air assists inurging the shi; forwardly. I

K convenient seat is provided for the operator of the devicc, as shown at 23.

The flexible wing-operating members :6 are attached to .the pedals 11., so that a simultaneous flapping of the wings, rotation of the propeller and operation of the air blower mayoccur.

the front of the ship, one or more horseshoe like shaped ducts 24 may be provided. The uppermost ends of these ducts openfor-ward'ly and may be provided with a cover 25. The lowermost ends of said ducts may terminate adjacent an air bag 26. Thus, as the ship moves rapidly through the air a current of air may be forced into said ducts and against the bag 26, thus further assisting the forward movement of the airshi ll pair of horseshoe-like shaped stabiliz- 'ing ducts 27 are provided, one opening on each side of the ship adjacent the top thereof. These ducts extend substantially the length of the ship. A'narrow duct 28 is provided for the slow escape-of the air.

"Wind, entering the top of said stabilizing ducts,'hits the lower sides of the insides of theship which are air-cushioned, as at 29. This helps the coach to keep a straight course and correct balance.

The entire structure of the body of the coach, all partitions, and the exterior walls thereof are preferably made of d-u-ralumin.

Suitable windows 80 and :a ,door 131 may be provided.

These airship coaches may be made of any desirable size or length, capable of carrying from 1 passenger up to 50.

The fuel motor ormotors can be either motors vespecially designed for airships or any other fuel motor.

A particular advantage of the .hiimged char- "actor .of the wings is that should it be necessary to navigate the ship through a narrow space, they may be folded up and the width of the device thus diminished. In this way, the ship maybe stored in a relatively narrow space in a hangar.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a new and useful type of airship-coach which can singly, or joined as a train, land anywhere, on a roof, ground, or water, having a specially constructed bottom forsaid purpose. Also it can start from any place large enough to hold it, as it gathers enough speed right on the start and rises forward quickly.

It will be understood from theforegoing that in the event the fuel motor should become inoperative from any cause, that the airship may be brought .down or continue its course by the action of the .air blower. Thesaid air blower used the airship coach is of the-huge type and in the event that-a large airship coach is hopeless, up in the air or anywhere, with :all'its f-uel motors out of order, there with be extra air blowers of the huge type to direct the said coach as desired.

it is also understood that .a through pas sage from one coach to the other is available. Thus it can be clearly understood that this invention can arrange from one small coach with flapping wings for one person only up to any size of airship coaches which can coupledtogether, :as many as desired, and form a train of airship. coaches, capable enough to carry up to a thousand people. This is the most gigantic and safest way of air transportation that was ever known to science. f

To more particularly protect the propeller the body of. the ship is extended to enclose the propeller 15, as shown Figure 1.. The forilvard wall of this enclosure is provided with a grated opening 32. The said rear of the body is made in afunnel shape in order to gather the hind winds for additional speed forward.

I claim:

1. In an airship-coach, a pair of flapping wings hinged to operable from the body of the coach, each win-g comprising spaced inner and outer walls, alternately arranged shock-absorbing cushion springs and cork blocks in the space between said walls, the inner walls defining a closed gas-containing chamber. e

2. In an airship-coach, a pair of flapping wings hinged to and operable from the body of the coach, each wing comprising spaced inner and outer walls having a shock-absorbing means therebetween, the inner walls defining a closed gas-containing chamber, said wings foldable flush with the top of saidbody, and means for securing the wings in their folded position.

3. In an airship-coach, a pair of flapping wings hinged to and operable from the body of the coach, the body and each wing comprising spaced inner and outer walls, alternately arranged shock-absorbing cushion springs and cork blocks in the space between the walls, the inner walls of each wing defining a closed gas-containing chamber, and gas-containing bags within the body.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 2nd day of April, 1930.

HARRY CASTADY. 

